Vampire and Vegan Are Perfect Bedfellows in Delicious New Novel
September 10, 2018
Vampires are a perennial favorite, and veganism has gone from hippie fad to aspirational lifestyle. But a vegan and a vampire in love?
It could happen, according to the book series, The Vampire and The Vegan. Author Merlene Vassall illustrates why a vegan may be the perfect mate for someone who sucks blood.
Like most vampires, Pearl spends her nights seducing and consuming men. But it’s not blood itself that she’s after; it’s necromantic energy in the blood of meat eaters. When Pearl meets Salaam, who happens to be vegan, she doesn’t sense him as food, and romance begins to blossom. However, dietary differences aren’t their only problem. Salaam’s would-be girlfriend is determined to keep them apart, and his best friend also wants Pearl.
In the second book, Pearl is banished to Dementica, where vampires factory farm humans for blood, flesh, and milk, among other things. When Pearl is mistaken for human, she ends up as livestock in a dairy. With help from Salaam, can she free the women and make The Glorious stop exploiting humans? Or will Pearl be corrupted by a new love interest — Count Silverthrone, the handsome and wealthy Sovereign of Dementica?
In both books, Vassall fictionalizes her experiences going from “vampire” to vegan 22 years ago.
“Through these stories, I share information about veganism and the struggle to get there,” said Vassall. “At the same time, the books describe Pearl’s very personal transformation from a predator, who uses her beauty as a lure, into a truly sensual being. Her complicated romantic life is teeming with lust, jealousy, and shifting allegiances.”
Unlike many other vampire stories, the main characters are African American. “In keeping with my background, two of the characters are Caribbean American,” Vassall explained, “and there are many ethnic and cultural references throughout the novels.”
Merlene Vassall is a professional nonprofit development consultant. She has earned degrees from Cornell University and Georgetown University Law Center. Her first novel, The Vampire and The Vegan, Book I: Food, is currently available from online book retailers. Book II: Livestock is scheduled to be released on October 24, just in time for Halloween. Read more at www.vampireandvegan.com.
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